Football star shot in home invasion, robbery
HARVEYS LAKE - The son of a prominent Back Mountain family and a star football player was shot in the head early Wednesday morning in a home-invasion robbery police say was motivated by drug money.
Court records identify the victim as 19-year-old Paul Brace Jr., the son of the owners of Brace's Orchard in Dallas and a football player at Misericodia University who led the team in receptions and receiving yards last season.
Mr. Brace was listed in critical condition at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center on Wednesday. A roommate, Adam Weaver, 20, suffered moderate injuries during the robbery and was treated and released, police said.
Mr. Weaver told investigators that the intruders were after money and fled after shooting Mr. Brace with "multiple shots from multiple guns," according to a search warrant application filed in court. Mr. Weaver told state police that Mr. Brace is a drug dealer who keeps cash on his person and in a safe at the home, the affidavit says.
Harveys Lake Police Chief Charles Musial said police had not identified any suspects but that the shooting did not appear random.
"We believe that it's an isolated incident and that there is no danger to the residents in the area," Chief Musial said.
The robbery began with a knock at the door of 367 Second St. about 1 a.m. Police said Mr. Weaver answered to find four men outside wearing bandanas over their faces and black hoodies on their heads.
The intruders entered, pistol-whipping Mr. Weaver on the head, and began to ransack the home, police said.
Mr. Weaver told police the men asked where the money was and assaulted him before rummaging through the house. Their search took them to the bedroom, where they shot Mr. Brace, the affidavit says.
Mr. Weaver reported that he then gave the men $500 and they fled the scene, police said. Mr. Weaver then ran to neighbor Mitch Artsma's home and called 911, the affidavit says.
According to the search warrant application, filed by state police Cpl. S.J. Turinski, police entered the home on the first floor when Mr. Artsma came in from a side door screaming that they needed to go upstairs to find Mr. Brace.
Police went to a second floor bedroom, where they found Mr. Brace lying on a bed on his side, the affidavit says. Mr. Brace was curled up and breathing but had gunshot wounds to his chest, stomach and forehead, police said.
During a subsequent investigation, police observed a bong in the bedroom, which smelled of marijuana smoke, according to the affidavit.
State police were on the scene throughout the morning searching the home for weapons, drugs, drug paraphernalia, trace evidence and cellphones.
Three students attending college - Mr. Brace and Cody Lamoreaux at Misericordia, Mr. Weaver at Penn State - rent the house.
Contact the writer: jhalpin@citizensvoice.com